IN THE "CLOSING CEREMONY" AT SCHS, 60 PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FLOURISH
Without a doubt, Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) places education at the top of its list of priorities. Since its founding 44 years ago, SCHS has worked to provide science and knowledge to its students through a team of the most qualified specialists and teachers in accordance with global best practices. SCHS is adamant about the value of education for all individuals, including those with disabilities, their parents, and society.
The president of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, Her Excellency Sheikha Jameela bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, reaffirmed this. Her Excellency clarified that SCHS holds a graduation ceremony each year to honor its graduates who successfully completed their educational levels. This demonstrates SCHS's commitment to fostering the skills and capacities of its students with disabilities and shedding light on them via their artistic endeavors and enlightening the neighborhood about it.
Sheikha Jameela bint Muhammad Al Qasimi expressed her joy at the graduation of a new class of students from SCHS, which included 15 students from the School for the Deaf (9 students from the morning session and 3 students from the evening session). She wished them continued success in their academic endeavors and expressed her pride in the accomplishments of the new graduates.
By founding the Emirates Group for Special Art in Sharjah in 1995, SCHS became a trailblazer in the use of art to benefit individuals with disabilities. In 2009, it was the first to offer music instruction in different colors to people with intellectual disability. Later, it founded the autonomous and supplementary Artistic Creativity Group for People with Disabilities. Emirates Private Art began working on this project in 2010, and all of its efforts culminated in 2017 with the opening of the "Falaj" Art for All Center as a continuation of its earlier, fruitful efforts in this area.
This came on the closing ceremony of SCHS's activities for the academic year 2022-2023, which the institute organized at the Culture Palace in Sharjah on Thursday, June 22, 2023. Her Excellency Sheikha Jamila bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, Head of SCHS, Her Excellency Sheikha Moudi Mohammed Al Shamsi, Head of the Family Development Department, and Sheikha Noura Ibrahim Al Mualla, Director of the Education and Research Department at the Sharjah Art Foundation attended the ceremony. His Excellency Dr. Muhadtha Al Hashemi, Chairman of the Sharjah Private Education Authority, His Excellency Mona bin Hadda Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Sharjah Foundation for Social Empowerment, Her Excellency Mona Abdul Karim Al Yafei, Director of SCHS, and the Korean Vice Consul and his wife, And the artist, Dr. Najat Makki were present. A large number of parents of students, interested persons, media professionals, SCHS officials and employees participated.
The Al-Wafaa School for Capacity Development student "Maria Rustom" opened the closing ceremony by reciting passages from the Holy Quran. Youssef Al-Mulla, a student at the Masarat Center for Development and Empowerment, served as the ceremony's master of ceremonies. In his speech, he welcomed the distinguished attendees and emphasized that SCHS is eager to organize the closing ceremony of its activities each year to express its pride in its pupils who are getting ready for a new beginning.
Al Mulla expressed his sincere gratitude to Her Excellency Sheikha Jameela bint Muhammad Al Qasimi on behalf of all of his fellow students for her unending support and ongoing efforts to further their education, training, integration, and improvement of the quality of their lives and the lives of their families. Additionally, he expressed gratitude to Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services' teachers, experts, and administrators while wishing everyone prosperity.
"Honoring"
Following that, 15 high school graduates were recognized by Her Excellency Sheikha Jamila bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, President of SCHS, Her Excellency Dr. Muhaddith Al Hashimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Private Education Authority, and Mrs. Afaf Al-Huraidi, Director of the Al-Amal School and Kindergarten for the Deaf. They wished them luck on their upcoming voyage.
"Fantasia"
Sixty students then presented the theatrical production “Fantasia” from SCHS affiliated with Al-Amal School for the Deaf, Al-Wafaa School for Capacity Development "Ramla Branch," the Masarat Center for Development and Empowerment, and all the artists affiliated with the Art for All Center "Falaj" with an impressive performance that merited all the acclaim and praise it received.
The closing ceremony aims to highlight the artistic talent and creative capacities of people with disabilities, inspire disabled artists to continue honing their craft, and broaden opportunities for collaboration and community involvement. In addition to highlighting the exceptional and long-lasting efforts made by SCHS in containing, advocating for, and empowering people with disabilities in all fields, it would empower creators with disabilities within the artistic and cultural movement in the United Arab Emirates and its local, regional, and international surroundings.
In an idea influenced by the American film THE GREATEST SHOWMAN, the events of "Fantasia" revolve around a person's desire for miracles in which he finds hope as the only means to fix all of his issues during terrible circumstances relating to conflicts, epidemics, and crises. It presents a different perspective in that the miracle might be found in the very nature of humanity and man's capacity to create a new reality where tolerance and acceptance triumph over prejudice and rejection of the other, and talent and creativity are highly valued and respected.
The show, which had eight main scenes, was about a dramatic relationship between a young child and his father, a bankrupt theater owner whose work is not well received by the public because it is weak and repetitive. Based on the child's suggestion and his counsel, they decide to travel in search of fresh creative talent that the audience hasn't seen before.
We travel with "Fantasia" through scenes captured on camera by the show's heroes before they meet on stage at the same time, moving in time and space. In addition to the characters of the show and between famous and contemporary Sharjah landmarks (the rainy room, the cloud rest, the Roman amphitheater, the heart of Sharjah heritage area, a traditional marine boom boat, and others). Lively and engaging, it combines the "photographer" and the "realist," as well as the young boy and his father, as they walk through the events of the play in quest of the happenings.
"Art is a message"
The child who views his father's theater as a venue to highlight these creative skills and aid in their integration into the art world stands out as one of the key elements of the dramatic conflict. In order to get to the last scene, which is sort of like a mini-lyrical operetta that brings all the heroes together, his father wants to use their skills and get the most money out of them. The show alludes to its fundamental point, which is that we may always be holding the miraculous in our hands but fail to notice it. Human creativity is the true wonder, and our actual job is to provide people the chance to highlight their skills and works without taking advantage of them or looking for quick money.
One of the most crucial factors that contributed to the success of the show and its attainment of this level of satisfaction, admiration, and encouragement, according to Mr. Muhammad Bakr, the show's director and the supervisor of the "Falaj" Art for All Center, was the wonderful cooperation between the members of the work team. Children with disabilities and their distinguished talents lead this innovation.
Working with people who have impairments, in his opinion, shows that they are capable of greatness and innovation and is a source of pride for everyone who works with them.
"Everyone can enjoy art."
On this occasion, Mr. Mohammed Bakr made reference to the SCHS' "Falaj" Art for All Center, which has been eager since its inception to develop the skills, abilities, and talents of its affiliated artists in all creative disciplines, such as theater and acting, singing, sketching, painting, and other visual arts whether they are people with or without disabilities.
Bakr expressed his profound gratitude and admiration to everyone who participated in the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services closing ceremony. He wished that the gathering would take place in the upcoming year and that everyone would experience greater success and excellence in all aspects of life.